James Henry Cochrane ¹⁰¹⁹⁶

   Cause of his death was intestinal disease.

History of Monmouth and Wales
by Harry H. Cochrane
p. 411-412

James Henry, the oldest son of Dr. James Cochrane, jun., inherited his mother's artistic talent. He practiced without an instructor and succeeded in establishing a reputation that brought him orders for life sittings from some of the wealthiest families of Belfast, Me., where he was then residing. At an early age, he started for Italy to complete his education in art, but, unfortunately, when he reached Boston he was offered a remunerative position, which led him to temporarily abandon his plans. Soon after, he opened a studio in Boston, and advertised as a fresco artist. The process of making pictures by the action of light on a sensitized silver plate had just been perfected, and men were making money rapidly with daguerrotype outfits. The visions of gold looks more attractive than fame, and the brush was laid aside forever. Shortly after he established himself in the daguerrotype business in Maine, he was offered a position at the state capitol as engrossing clerk. He was soon raised to the office of deputy secretary of state, a position which he held until 1866, when he was appointed Superintendent of Construction of Government Buildings, in which office he was retained until the change in administration which took place about twenty years later. Specimans of his early designing may be found in the engraved title of the Maine Farmer, which is still in use, and in the elaborate diploma used for many years by the Maine State Agricultural Society.

Mr. Cochrane was once nominated for the office of Secretary of State and was defeated by the misapplied zeal of some of his political friends, who, the morning before the election, published in the Kennebec Journal scurrilious statements concerning his opponent that were obviously false. He married first, Ellen M. Berry, daughter of Col. Watson Berry, of Belfast, Me., by whom he had three children -- Nellie H., Flora G. and Harry H., and a second, Julia A. Allen, of Augusta, by whom he had four, one one of whom, Herbert Lepien, is now living.

  Events

• He worked as an architect.

James married Ellen Maria Berry 5 November 1849 in Belfast, Waldo County, Maine.¹⁰¹⁹⁵ (Ellen Maria Berry was born 20 May 1826 in Belfast, Waldo County, Maine,¹⁰²⁰⁰ died 16 April 1860 in Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine ^10200,10201 and was buried after 16 April 1860 in Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine at Forest Grove Cemetery ¹⁰²⁰⁰.)